BBC ON THIS DAY | 24 | 1978: Tanker Amoco Cadiz splits in two About This Site | Text Only 1978: Tanker Amoco Cadiz splits in two Violent seas have split the Amoco Cadiz super tanker wrecked off the coast of France, destroying any hopes of salvaging any remaining oil and threatening an ecological disaster. Experts hoped 30,000 to 50,000 tons of oil left in the holds could have been pumped out but this morning's split, off the north coast of Finisterre, means all the 220,000-ton cargo will have escaped into the sea. Strong tides and winds are driving the oil slick westward raising fears it will affect the Channel Islands and the western coast of the Cherbourg peninsula in France. The oil spill is now covering 800 square miles (1,287 sq km) since it ran aground on Portsall Rocks, three miles off the coast of Brittany, France, eight days ago, en route from the Gulf to Le Havre. The French Navy announced 30 ships are working to contain the oil slick.

They include five Royal Navy tugs, two ships from Norway and a vessel from Holland equipped with mechanical shovels. Officers are working around the clock spraying detergent to disperse the oil slick, and helicopters have been commissioned to assist with this. Experts said the best form of removing the oil is by sucking it off the sea from another vessel but this is currently not an option as the weather and sea is too volatile. The slick is being monitored by planes using infra-red cameras and the Landsatt satellite will shortly be taking pictures of it from space. Environmental damage The Amoco Cadiz's cargo is already forming a "chocolate mousse" - a dangerous mix of oil and water that forms naturally - which will pollute all life forms it drifts across. Its damage to the environment is coupled with the long-term effect the oil slick will have on the local economy of shellfish and oyster fishermen. According to some sources bombing or burning the ship is still being discussed as an option but no decisions have been taken yet. In 1967 Britain bombed the hulk of the Torrey Canyon for several days but the wreck was destroyed only after all the oil had leaked out.

Top 10 worst oil spills - US news - Environment | NBC News Top 10 worst oil spills Oil spills can pollute the air and water and alter the ecosystem for years Below: Clean-up workers pump oil from a man-made reservoir into waiting trucks in March of 1991. By Remy Melina Slideshow: Oil spill disaster in the Gulf The oil gushing from the well where the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank is now spreading through the Gulf of Mexico. Oil spills can kill wildlife, pollute the air and water, and alter the ecosystem for years to come. Many of us think of the Exxon Valdez oil spill as a particularly bad one, but with about 42,800 tons of oil spilled, it doesn't rank as one of the 10 worst ever. Here are some of the worst oil spills in history: The Odyssey: 132,000 tons In November 1988, the American-owned oil tanker Odyssey split in two 700 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia. The tanker spewed about 132,000 tons of crude oil into the sea and caught fire as it sank, setting the spill aflame.

Because of hazardous weather conditions, the Canadian Coast Guard could not immediately reach the spill, and much of the oil burned. The Haven: 145,000 tons A violent explosion aboard the Cyprus-based tanker the Haven killed six members of the crew and spilled 145,000 tons of oil off the coast of Italy in April 1991. About 70 percent of the oil burned in the ensuing fire. In most oil spills , oil remains near the surface of the water, but in this spill some of it sank. Oil from the Haven was later found in ocean beds at depths of up to 1,640 feet (500 meters). The Amoco Cadiz: 223,000 tons Stormy weather drove the Amoco Cadiz Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) aground on the Portsall Rocks, a 90-foot deep outcrop off the coast of Brittany, France, in 1978. The ship split in two and quickly sank before its 1,604,500 barrels of oil load could be pumped from the wreck.

Castillo de Bellver: 252,000 tons In August 1983, a fire aboard the Castillo de Bellver led to an explosion that caused the tanker to break in two. Oil spilled into the sea 24 miles off the coast of Cape Town, marking the largest spill to date in South Africa. Luckily, the oil caused minimal environmental damage as the direction of the wind moved the oil slick offshore, where it dissipated naturally. ABT Summer: 260,000 tons ABT Summer tanker, traveling from Iran to Rotterdam, leaked oil and caught on fire about 700 miles off the Angolan coast in 1991. The disaster killed five of the 32 crew members on board. Advertise Nowruz oil field: 260,000 tons During the first Gulf War , a tanker collided with a platform on Feb. 10, 1983, spilling approximately 1,500 barrels each day, until the platform was attacked by Iraqi planes in March and the slick caught fire. The Nowruz oil field was not immediately capped, because the field was located in the middle of the Iran/Iraq war zone.

The well was finally capped by Iran in September of that year – an effort that resulted in the deaths of 11 people. Fergana Valley: 285,000 tons The Fergana Valley, one of Central Asia's most densely populated agricultural and industrial areas, was the site of the largest inland oil spills in history in 1992. Atlantic Empress/Aegean Captain: 287,000 tons In July 1979, a Greek oil tanker called the Atlantic Empress collided with another ship,the Aegean Captain, during a tropical storm off of the island of Tobago in the Caribbean Sea. The Atlantic Empress disaster killed 26 crew members and is the largest ship-based oil spill. Ixtoc I oil well: 454,000 tons The Ixtoc I oil well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in June 1979. The oil drilling platform then caught fire and collapsed, rupturing valves and making it difficult for rescue personnel to control the damage. The spill continued until March 1980.

Gulf War oil spill: 1,360,000-1,500,000 tons The worst oil spill in history, the Gulf War oil spill spewed an estimated 8 million barrels of oil into the Persian Gulf after Iraqi forces opened valves of oil wells and pipelines as they retreated from Kuwait in 1991. The oil slick reached a maximum size of 101 miles by 42 miles and was five inches thick. © 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved. Top 10 Worst Oil Spills Top 10 Worst Oil Spills By Remy Melina | April 28, 2010 06:57am ET MORE Fire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig, Deepwater Horizon on April 21, 2010. The rig, located 51 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana, exploded on April 20, 2010. Credit: USCG The oil gushing from the well where the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank is now spreading through the Gulf of Mexico.

Oil spills can kill wildlife, pollute the air and water, and alter the ecosystem for years to come. Many of us think of the Exxon Valdez oil spill as a particularly bad one, but with about 42,800 tons of oil spilled, it doesn't rank as one of the 10 worst ever. Here are some of the worst oil spills in history: 10. The Odyssey: 132,000 tons In November 1988, the American-owned oil tanker Odyssey split in two 700 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia. The tanker spewed about 132,000 tons of crude oil into the sea and caught fire as it sank, setting the spill aflame. Because of hazardous weather conditions, the Canadian Coast Guard could not immediately reach the spill, and much of the oil burned. [ Disasters at Sea: 6 Deadly Shipwrecks ] 9. The Haven: 145,000 tons A violent explosion aboard the Cyprus-based tanker the Haven killed six members of the crew and spilled 145,000 tons of oil off the coast of Italy in April 1991.

About 70 percent of the oil burned in the ensuing fire. In most oil spills , oil remains near the surface of the water, but in this spill some of it sank. Oil from the Haven was later found in ocean beds at depths of up to 1,640 feet (500 meters). [ The 10 Greatest Explosions Ever ] 8. The Amoco Cadiz: 223,000 tons Stormy weather drove the Amoco Cadiz Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) aground on the Portsall Rocks, a 90-foot deep outcrop off the coast of Brittany, France, in 1978. The ship split in two and quickly sank before its 1,604,500 barrels of oil load could be pumped from the wreck. 7. Castillo de Bellver: 252,000 tons In August 1983, a fire aboard the Castillo de Bellver led to an explosion that caused the tanker to break in two. Oil spilled into the sea 24 miles off the coast of Cape Town, marking the largest spill to date in South Africa.

Luckily, the oil caused minimal environmental damage as the direction of the wind moved the oil slick offshore, where it dissipated naturally. 6. ABT Summer: 260,000 tons ABT Summer tanker, traveling from Iran to Rotterdam, leaked oil and caught on fire about 700 miles off the Angolan coast in 1991. The disaster killed five of the 32 crew members on board. 5. Nowruz oil field: 260,000 tons During the first Gulf War , a tanker collided with a platform on Feb. 10, 1983, spilling approximately 1,500 barrels each day, until the platform was attacked by Iraqi planes in March and the slick caught fire. The Nowruz oil field was not immediately capped, because the field was located in the middle of the Iran/Iraq war zone. The well was finally capped by Iran in September of that year – an effort that resulted in the deaths of 11 people. [ 10 Battles for the Control of Iraq ] 4.

Fergana Valley: 285,000 tons The Fergana Valley, one of Central Asia's most densely populated agricultural and industrial areas, was the site of the largest inland oil spills in history in 1992. 3. Atlantic Empress/Aegean Captain: 287,000 tons In July 1979, a Greek oil tanker called the Atlantic Empress collided with another ship, the Aegean Captain, during a tropical storm off of the island of Tobago in the Caribbean Sea. The Atlantic Empress disaster killed 26 crew members and is the largest ship-based oil spill. 2. Ixtoc I oil well: 454,000 tons The Ixtoc I oil well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in June 1979. The oil drilling platform then caught fire and collapsed, rupturing valves and making it difficult for rescue personnel to control the damage. The spill continued until March 1980. 1.

Gulf War oil spill: 1,360,000 -1,500,000 tons The worst oil spill in history, the Gulf War oil spill spewed an estimated 8 million barrels of oil into the Persian Gulf after Iraqi forces opened valves of oil wells and pipelines as they retreated from Kuwait in 1991. The oil slick reached a maximum size of 101 miles by 42 miles and was five inches thick. Editor's Recommendations Amoco Cadiz – Shipwreck Log Amoco Cadiz Photo: wikipedia.org On March 16, 1978, the VLCC tanker Amoco Cadiz ran aground on Portsail Rocks off the coast of Brittany, France. The tanker had departed from the Persian Gulf and was en route to Rotterdam, Netherlands with one schedule stop at Lyme Bay , England with a cargo of 1.6 millon barrels of light crude oil worth over 40 milllon (USD). Photo: counterspill.org When the Amoco Cadiz entered the English Channel on March 16, sea conditions were bad. The vessel was sailing through a strong gale with winds reaching force 10 and heavy seas.

Around 9:45 am, the vessel was struck by a large wave and the tanker’s rudder failed to respond. The crew found the steering gear had been damage allowing the hydraulic fluid to leak out. The crew attempted to repair the rudder, but the damage was too severe. The Cadiz notified other vessels to standby and later requested a tug. Photo: wikipedia.org By 11:30 am, the tug Pacific responded and arrived on the scene an hour later. Because of the heavy seas, it took several hours for the Pacific to pass a towline over to the disabled Cadiz. By 2 pm, the towline had connected, but the towline snapped a few hours later. Several more attempts were made to connect a towline and a towline was reconnected at just before 9 pm. However, the strong winds had pushed the VLCC tanker closer towards shore. Photo: wikimedia Within 10 minutes after the towline was connected, the tanker had ran onto the rocks. The Cadiz’s hull ripped open near the stern resulting in the flooding of the engine room. The vessel ran aground a second time a short time later. This time the cargo tank was torn open and oil spilled into the ocean.

The captain of the Cadiz requested nearly all the crew except himself and one other officer be taken off the vessel. The French Navy dispatched helicopters and airlifted the crew to safety. By 5 am the next day, the captain and the officer were also removed off the tanker. Photo: counterspill.org Around 10 am, the Amoco Cadiz broke-in-two and the cargo of 1.6 million barrels of light crude spilled into the ocean. Over the following days, stormy conditions continued and the vessel continued to break up into a total loss. The French Navy later laid depth charges on the wreck and destroyed the wreckage. The resulting oil spill from the Amoco Cadiz was the largest to that date. Some 219,797 tons of light crude with the addition of another 4,000 tons of fuel oil were released into the surrounding water. A 12 mile slick formed and washed ashore onto 45 mile stretch of the French shoreline. More than 20,000 birds perished and the local marine life wad deeply impacted. Reports stated that several sheltered areas still contain oil in the sub-surface.

Government efforts were only able to recover some 20,000 tons of oil. Photo: counterspill.org The French government presented several claims and damages to United States courts. In 1990, some 120 million (USD) was paid by the American oil company Amoco to France. Photo: wikimedia Top ten oil spills - Telegraph Earth News Top ten oil spills Experts have warned that the Gulf of Mexico oil rig disaster could develop into one of the worst spills in US history if the well is not sealed. Image 1 of 2 Firefighters try to put out a leaking oil well August 11, 1991 at the Greater Burhan oil field in Kuwait Photo: GETTY IMAGES 9:25AM BST 28 Apr 2010 Here Telegraph.co.uk looks at the ten worst oil spills in history by quantity of oil. Gulf War oil spill, Persian Gulf, January 1991 1,360,000-1,500,000 tons Regarded as the worst in history, it caused huge damage to wildlife in the Persian Gulf after Iraqi forces opened valves of oil wells and pipelines as they retreated from Kuwait.

Ixtoc I oil well, Gulf of Mexico, June-March 1980 Related Articles 23 Apr 2010 454,000-480,000 tons Around ten to 30 thousand barrels per day were released into the Gulf after a blowout at the Mexican government-run explanatory oil well 600 miles south of Texas, in the US. Atlantic Empress/Aegean Captain, Trinidad and Tobago, July 1979 287,000 The Atlantic Empress, a Greek oil tanker, sank after colliding with the Aegean Captain spilling thousands of tonnes of oil consigned to Mobil. Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan, March 1992 285,000 tons The largest inland spill ever reported occurred in the Fergana Valley, one of Central Asia’s most densely populated agricultural and industrial areas. Nowruz oil field, Persian Gulf, February 1983 260,000 tons The Nowruz oil field was involved in a number of oil spills during the First Gulf War.

In February 1983 a tanker collided with a platform causing around 1,500 barrels per day to be spilt. ABT Summer, off Angola, May 1991 260,000 tons While en route from Iran to Rotterdam the ABT Summer tanker caught fire about 700 miles off the Angolan coast, resulting in the deaths of five of the 32 crew members on board. Castillo de Bellver, Saldanha Bay, South Africa, August 1983 252,000 tons A fire aboard the Castillo de Bellver tanker caused the ship to break in two, releasing thousands of tonnes of oil into the sea 24 miles off the coast of Cape Town, although the environmental impact was minimal. Amoco Cadiz, Brittany, France, March 1978 223,000 tons The Amoco Cadiz Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) split in two after running aground on Portsall Rocks, off the coast of Brittany. At the time it was the largest ever oil spill.

M/T Haven, off Genoa, Italy, April 1991 144,000 tons Another VLCC, the twin sister ship to the Amoco Cadiz exploded, caught fire and sank off the coast of Genoa, killing six Cypriot crew and causing the Mediterranean coast of Italy and France to be polluted for the next 12 years. Odyssey, off Newfoundland, Canada, September 1988 132,000 tons One person was killed and 66 people rescued uninjured after the American-owned Ocean Odyssey drilling rig burst into flames 600 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. Amoco Cadiz | Article about Amoco Cadiz by The Free Dictionary Amoco Cadiz | Article about Amoco Cadiz by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Wikipedia . Amoco Cadiz oil tanker broke up off Britanny coast; 1.6 million barrels spilled (1978). [Fr. Hist.: Facts (1978), 201, 202] Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content .

Link to this page: water pollution References in periodicals archive ? 1978: Violent seas split the wreck of the tanker Amoco Cadiz destroying hopes of salvaging any remaining oil. Name the Year 6 million barrels of oil drained into the water when the Amoco Cadiz (top right) split in two off the coast of Brittany, France, in 1978. Punk and so funky Now 1978 also saw the Amoco Cadiz super tanker disaster off the coast of Brittany, the murder of Wordsley newspaper boy Carl Bridgewater and cricketer Ian Botham's record-breaking Test match performance against Pakistan, scoring a century and taking eight wickets in one innings. Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

Amoco Cadiz Amoco Cadiz "Amoco Cadiz", at the Lisnave Dockyard, Lisbon, Portugal, around 1976. ( Copyright reserved ) ( Copyright reserved ) The Amoco Cadiz was a VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier), owned by Amoco, that split in two after running aground on Portsall Rocks, three miles (5 km) off the coast of Brittany (France), on March 16, 1978, resulting at that time in the largest oil spill ever, currently the fifth-largest in history, though its ranking may vary depending on criteria. See below for more : Sequence of events The wreck of the Amoco Cadiz is located at 48°36.00' N, 04°46.00' W.

( Copyright reserved ) Status: Total loss 1978 after Stranding SubType: Crude Builder: Astilleros Espanoles S.A., Cadiz, Espagna (C95) GT: 109,700 Engine Type: Diesel engine, 22678 kW Cubic: - Ship Report for "AMOCO CADIZ" IDNo: Disposal Data: Wrecked 48.36.12N / 4.45.54W on 16.03.1978. History: Sequence of events En route from the Persian Gulf to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, via a scheduled stop at Lyme Bay, Great Britain, the ship encountered stormy weather with gale conditions and high seas while in the English Channel. At around 09:45am, a heavy wave hit the ship's rudder and it was found that she was no longer responding to the helm. This was due to the shearing of Whitworth thread studs in the Hastie four ram steering gear, built under licence in Spain, causing a loss of hydraulic fluid. Attempts to repair the damage were made but proved unsuccessful.

While the message "no longer manoeuvrable" and asking other vessels to stand by was transmitted at 10:20am, no call for tug assistance was issued until 11:20am. The German tug Pacific responded and contacted the Amoco Cadiz at 11:28am, offering assistance under a Lloyds Open Form (see below). It arrived on the scene at 12:20pm, but because of the stormy sea, a tow line was not in place until 2pm and broke off at 4:15pm. Several attempts were made to establish another tow line and the Amoco Cadiz dropped its an- chor trying to halt its drift. Finally a successful tow line was in place at 8:55pm. Yet these measures proved incapable of preventing the supertanker from drifting towards the coast because of its huge mass and the Force 10 storm winds. At 9:04pm, the Amoco Cadiz hit the bottom for the first time, flooding its engines. It grounded again at 9:39pm, this time ripping the hull and starting the oil spill.

Its crew was rescued by helicopters of the French Navy at midnight, except the captain and one officer who remain on board until 5am the next morning. At 10am, March 17, the supertanker broke in two, releasing its entire cargo of 1.6 million barrels (250,000 m3). Because of the ongoing storm, it broke again on March 28 and the wreck was later completely destroyed by depth charges from the French Navy. The wreck of the Amoco Cadiz is located at "48°36.00'N, 04°46.00'W. Lloyds Open Form An argument arose between the captain of the Amoco Cadiz, Pasquale Bardari, and that of the captain of the German Tug Pacific, Hartmut Weinert, on the issue of LOF (Lloyds Open Form). Captain Weinert thought this a classic LOF case, an oil tanker with damage to its steering gear, rough weather and getting closer to the shore by the minute. Lloyds Open Form is a standard legal document for a proposed salvage operation, a four page long contract published by the famous Lloyds of London.

It is called "open" because it is literally open, with no amount of money being stipulated for the salvage job: The sum to be paid is determined later in London by a professional arbitrator. At the top of page one, be- neath the title "Salvage Agreement" is a statement of the contract's fundamental premise. "NO CURE - NO PAY!" The Arbitrator, who is invariably a Queen's Counsel practising at the Admiralty Bar, follows the English law of civil salvage, in determining the salvage award. The values of the ship, its cargo and freight at risk are taken into account when the arbitrator de cides what the award should be, together with the extent of the dangers and the difficulty in effecting the salvage. In 1978, the ship and the cargo were valued at about $40 million dollars, so Captain Weinert's company could, in the event of success, have received a large award.

Captain Bardari of the Cadiz, on the instructions of his owners, wanted " ...towage rate to Lyme Bay." The argument dragged on from 11:28am when the Pacific first made contact with the Amoco Cadiz until 4:00pm when Captain Bardari finally received approval to accept the LOF from the ship's owners in Chicago. However, this dispute did not delay the salvage operation significantly, because tugging preparations had already started. Captain Weinert was aware that if he were to succeed in bringing the tanker into Lyme Bay, on the English coast, his owners could arrest the ship in the English High Court in pursuit of a claim for salvage. It was incorrectly reported in the Press at the time that, after long negotiations on financial terms between the ship's captain and the master of a West German tugboat and two unsuccessful towing attempts, the towline finally broke during the argument and the ship drifted on the rocks. This version of events became fixed in the public mind although in fact delay was caused by Captain Bardari of the Amoco Cadiz contacting his owners in Chicago for instructions.

The delay in sending a distress mes- sage meant that the larger tug Seefalke, which might have been in range an hour earlier, had proceeded out of range by the time the distress call was made. Oil spill The Amoco Cadiz and coast of Brittany. The Amoco Cadiz contained 1,604,500 barrels (219,797 tons) of Arabian Light and Iranian Light crude oil.[ Both are medium weight oils with an API gravity of 34.8. Bunker C is a heavy product with an API of between 7 and 14. But severe weather result- ed in the complete breakup of the ship before any oil could be pumped out of the wreck. Therefore its entire cargo of crude oil (cargo which belonged to Shell) spilled into the sea. A 12-mile (19 km) long slick and heavy pools of oil were smeared onto 45 miles (72 km) of the French shoreline by north- westerly winds. Prevailing westerly winds during the following month spread the oil approximately 100 miles (160 km) east along the coast. One week after the accident, oil had reached Côtes d'Armor.

Oil penetrated the sand on several beaches to a depth of 20 inches (510 mm). Sub-surface oil separated into two or three lay- ers due to the extensive sand transfer that occurred on the beaches during rough weather. Piers and slips in the small harbors from Porspoder to Brehat Island were covered with oil. Other affected areas included the pink granite rock beaches of Tregastel and Perros-Guirrec, as well as the tourist beaches at Plougasnou. The total extent of oiling one month after the spill in- cluded approximately 200 miles (320 km) of coastline. Beaches of 76 different Breton communities were oiled. Oil persisted for only a few weeks along the exposed rocky shores that experienced moderate to high wave action. In the areas sheltered from wave action, however, the oil persisted in the form of an asphalt crust for several years. Environmental impact Oiled beach in Brittany. The isolated location of the grounding and rough seas hampered cleanup efforts for the two weeks following the incident. As mandated in the "Polmar Plan", the French Navy was responsible for all offshore operations while the Civil Safety Service was responsible for shore cleanup activities.

Although the total quantity of collected oil and water reached 100,000 tons, less than 20,000 tons of oil were recovered from this liquid after treatment in refining plants. The nature of the oil and rough seas contributed to the rapid formation of a "chocolate mousse" emulsification of oil and water. This viscous emulsification greatly complicated the cleanup efforts. French authorities decided not to use disper- sants in sensitive areas or the coastal fringe where water depth was less than 50 meters. Had dispersant been applied from the air in the vicinity of the spill source, the formation of mousse may have been prevented. At the time, the Amoco Cadiz incident resulted in the largest loss of marine life ever recorded from an oil spill. Mortalities of most animals occurred over the two month period following the spill. Two weeks following the accident, millions of dead mollusks, sea urchins, and other bottom dwelling organisms washed ashore. Diving birds constituted the majority of the nearly 20,000 dead birds that were recovered. The oyster mortality from the spill was estimated at 9,000 tons.

Fishermen in the area caught fish with skin ulcerations and tumors. Some of the fish caught in the area reportedly had a strong taste of petroleum. Although echinoderm and small crustacean populations almost completely disappeared, the populations of many species recovered within a year. Cleanup activities on rocky shores, such as pressure-washing, also caused habitat impacts. The Amoco Cadiz spill was one of the most studied oil spills in history. Many studies remain in progress. This was the larg- est recorded spill in history and was the first spill in which estuarine tidal rivers were oiled. No follow-up mitigation existed to deal with asphalt formation and problems that resulted after the initial aggressive cleanup. Additional erosion of beaches occurred in several places where no attempt was made to restore the gravel that was re- moved to lower the beach face. Many of the affected marshes, mudflats, and sandy beaches, were low-energy areas. Evidence of oiled beach sediments can still be seen in some of these sheltered areas. Layers of sub-surface oil still remain buried in many of the impacted beaches. The ship and spill features in one of Steve Forbert's songs about oil pollution.

Legal claims In 1978, it was estimated to have caused $250 million in damage to fisheries and tourist amenities. The French government presented claims totalling $2 billion to United States courts. In subsequent legal proceedings in Chicago, United States, the owners of the tug were held to have been completely blameless while France was awarded $120 million from the American oil company Amoco in 1990. What Were the Worst Oil Spills in History? What Were the Worst Oil Spills in History? By Remy Melina | April 28, 2010 11:55am ET MORE The oil gushing from the well where the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank is now spreading through the Gulf of Mexico. Oil spills can kill wildlife, pollute the air and water, and alter the ecosystem for years to come. Many of us think of the Exxon Valdez oil spill as a particularly bad one, but with about 42,800 tons of oil spilled, it doesn't rank as one of the 10 worst ever. Here are some of the worst oil spills in history: 10.

The Odyssey: 132,000 tons In November 1988, the American-owned oil tanker Odyssey split in two 700 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia. The tanker spewed about 132,000 tons of crude oil into the sea and caught fire as it sank, setting the spill aflame. Because of hazardous weather conditions, the Canadian Coast Guard could not immediately reach the spill, and much of the oil burned. 9. The Haven: 145,000 tons A violent explosion aboard the Cyprus-based tanker the M/C Haven killed six members of the crew and spilled 145,000 tons of oil off the coast of Italy in April 1991. About 70 percent of the oil burned in the ensuing fire. In most oil spills , oil remains near the surface of the water, but in this spill some of it sank. Oil from the Haven was later found in ocean beds at depths of up to 1,640 feet (500 meters). 8.

The Amoco Cadiz: 223,000 tons Stormy weather drove the Amoco Cadiz Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) aground on the Portsall Rocks, a 90-foot deep outcrop off the coast of Brittany, France, in 1978. The ship split in two and quickly sank before its 1,604,500 barrels of oil load could be pumped from the wreck. 7. Castillo de Bellver: 252,000 tons In August 1983, a fire aboard the Castillo de Bellver led to an explosion that caused the tanker to break in two. Oil spilled into the sea 24 miles off the coast of Cape Town, marking the largest spill to date in South Africa. Luckily, the oil caused minimal environmental damage as the direction of the wind moved the oil slick offshore, where it dissipated naturally. 6. ABT Summer: 260,000 tons ABT Summer tanker, traveling from Iran to Rotterdam, leaked oil and caught on fire about 700 miles off the Angolan coast in 1991.

The disaster killed five of the 32 crew members on board. 5. Nowruz oil field: 260,000 tons During the first Gulf War , a tanker collided with a platform on Feb. 10, 1983, spilling approximately 1,500 barrels each day, until the platform was attacked by Iraqi planes in March and the slick caught fire. The Nowruz oil field was not immediately capped, because the field was located in the middle of the Iran/Iraq war zone. The well was finally capped by Iran in September of that year an effort that resulted in the deaths of 11 people. 4. Fergana Valley: 285,000 tons The Fergana Valley, one of Central Asia's most densely populated agricultural and industrial areas, was the site of the largest inland oil spills in history in 1992. 3. Atlantic Empress/Aegean Captain: 287,000 tons In July 1979, a Greek oil tanker called the Atlantic Empress collided with another ship, the Aegean Captain, during a tropical storm off of the island of Tobago in the Caribbean Sea.

The Atlantic Empress disaster killed 26 crew members and is the largest ship-based oil spill. 2. Ixtoc I oil well: 454,000 tons The Ixtoc I oil well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in June 1979. The oil drilling platform then caught fire and collapsed, rupturing valves and making it difficult for rescue personnel to control the damage. The spill continued until March 1980. 1. Gulf War oil spill: 1,360,000 -1,500,000 tons The worst oil spill in history, the Gulf War oil spill spewed an estimated 8 million barrels of oil into the Persian Gulf after Iraqi forces opened valves of oil wells and pipelines as they retreated from Kuwait in 1991. The oil slick reached a maximum size of 101 miles by 42 miles and was five inches thick.

Notable Shipwrecks - Shipwreck Log Shipwreck Log Costa Concordia January 14 2012 – The 291 meter long, 10000 dwt passenger ship Costa Concordia went aground off the island of Giglio, Italy. The cruise ship, loaded with more than 4,234 passengers and crew, struck a rock on the seafloor tearing a 160 foot gash along the port hull. Vessel capsized over on it’s side resulting in 32 deaths. Rena October 4 2011 – The 236 meter long, 47230 dwt container ship Rena went aground on the Astrolabe Reef north of Motiti Island near the Tauranga Harbor, New Zealand. The Rena broke up on the reef spilling containers and fuel oil onto the nearby beaches before the vessel. Svitzer Salvage engaged and removing the bow section off the reef for the following 3 years.

MSC Chitra August 7 2010 – The 234 meter long, 38485 dwt container ship MSC Chitra collided with the bulk carrier Khalijia III just outside Mumbai harbor, India. The MSC Chitra’s port hull was ripped open and the vessel listed over spilling containers and fuel oil into the sea. The vessel sustained too much damage and was later towed into international waters and sunk. VLCC Haven April 11 1991 – The 334 meter long, 232,162 dwt VLCC tanker Haven suffered an explosion, caught fire and sank off the coast of Genoa, Italy. The Haven not only became one of the largest shipwrecks in the world, but also one of the worst oil pollution incident in the Mediterranean Sea. Herald of Free Enterprise March 6 1987 – The 132 meter long, ro-ro passenger ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized and sank just a short distance off the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium.

Some 193 persons perished as many of the 459 passengers and 80 crew were trapped inside as the vessel sank in shallow water on its port side. Amoco Cadiz March 16 1978 – The 334 meter long, VLCC Amoco Cadiz ran aground and broke-up on Portsall Rocks some 5 kilometers off the coast of Brittany, France. The tanker had lost steering and was blown onto the rocks ripping the tanker open releasing some 1.6 million barrels of light crude into the sea. Other Recent Wrecks September 15, 2011 – The MS Nordlys had an explosion in the engine room the caused a large fire killing two crew and evacuation of the vessel at Hurtigruten, Norway. April 15, 2011 – The MV Ocean Star Pacific had an engine room fire forcing 748 passengers and crew to be evacuated off the ship to Huatulco, Mexico. January 31, 2011 – The Polar Star ran aground off Antarctica damaging the vessel’s outer hull with passengers evacuated to another vessel.

December 7, 2010 – The Clelia II was struck by a large wave off the remote South Shetland Islands suffering engine damage. December 3, 2010 – The RMS Queen Mary 2 suffered an explosion causing a short term power outage. November 8, 2010 – The MV Carnival Splendor had an engine room fire resulting in a complete power loss. The vessel towed back to San Diego with the US Navy providing food for passengers. October 18, 2010 – The Costa Classica collided with a cargo vessel in the Yangtze River inflicting a 20 meter long gash between passenger decks. Feb 26, 2010 – The Costa Europa allided into a quay at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt tearing a two meter hole drowning three crew and injuring four passengers. June 18, 2009 – The MV Royal Princess had a fire in the engine room off Port Said, Egypt causing extensive damage. February 26, 2009 – The Costa Romantica had a fire in the generator room causing a power outage. Passengers were evacuated after crew was unable to repair the generators.

June 21, 2008 – The MV Princess of the Stars capsized and sank off San Fernando, Philippines when struck by a typhoon. The vessel with 860 passengers and crew on board had only 32 survivors. November 23, 2007 – The cruise ship Explorer struck a submerged object off Antarctica and sank. No lives were lost, but over 150 individuals were forced into open lifeboats. April 5, 2007 – The MV Sea Diamond struck a reef of the Greek island of Santorini with 1195 passengers on board. Vessel filled with water and later sank. Two passengers lost. Share this: Top 10 worst oil spills — Alexander's Gas and Oil Connections Top 10 worst oil spills Apr 28, 2010 02:00 AM by Remy Melina The oil gushing from the well where the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank is now spreading through the Gulf of Mexico. Oil spills can kill wildlife, pollute the air and water, and alter the ecosystem for years to come.

Many of us think of the Exxon Valdez oil spill as a particularly bad one, but with about 42,800 tons of oil spilled, it doesn't rank as one of the 10 worst ever. Here are some of the worst oil spills in history: 10. The Odyssey: 132,000 tons In November 1988, the American-owned oil tanker Odyssey split in two 700 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia. The tanker spewed about 132,000 tons of crude oil into the sea and caught fire as it sank, setting the spill aflame. Because of hazardous weather conditions, the Canadian Coast Guard could not immediately reach the spill, and much of the oil burned. 9. The Haven: 145,000 tons A violent explosion aboard the Cyprus-based tanker the Haven killed six members of the crew and spilled 145,000 tons of oil off the coast of Italy in April 1991. About 70 % of the oil burned in the ensuing fire. In most oil spills, oil remains near the surface of the water, but in this spill some of it sank.

Oil from the Haven was later found in ocean beds at depths of up to 1,640 feet (500 meters). 8. The Amoco Cadiz: 223,000 tons Stormy weather drove the Amoco Cadiz Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) aground on the Portsall Rocks, a 90-foot deep outcrop off the coast of Brittany, France, in 1978. The ship split in two and quickly sank before its 1,604,500 barrels of oil load could be pumped from the wreck. 7. Castillo de Bellver: 252,000 tons In August 1983, a fire aboard the Castillo de Bellver led to an explosion that caused the tanker to break in two. Oil spilled into the sea 24 miles off the coast of Cape Town, marking the largest spill to date in South Africa. Luckily, the oil caused minimal environmental damage as the direction of the wind moved the oil slickoffshore, where it dissipated naturally. 6.

ABT Summer: 260,000 tons ABT Summer tanker, travelling from Iran to Rotterdam, leaked oil and caught on fire about 700 miles off the Angolan coast in 1991. The disaster killed five of the 32 crew members on board. 5. Nowruz oil field: 260,000 tons During the first Gulf War, a tanker collided with a platform on Feb. 10, 1983, spilling approximately 1,500 barrels each day, until the platform was attacked by Iraqi planes in March and the slick caught fire. The Nowruz oil field was not immediately capped, because the field was located in the middle of the Iran/Iraq war zone. The well was finally capped by Iran in September of that year -- an effort that resulted in the deaths of 11 people. 4. Fergana Valley: 285,000 tons The Fergana Valley, one of Central Asia's most densely populated agricultural and industrial areas, was the site of the largest inland oil spills in history in 1992. 3.

Atlantic Empress/Aegean Captain: 287,000 tons In July 1979, a Greek oil tanker called the Atlantic Empress collided with another ship, the Aegean Captain, during a tropical storm off of the island of Tobago in the Caribbean Sea. The Atlantic Empress disaster killed 26 crew members and is the largest ship-based oil spill. 2. Ixtoc I oil well: 454,000 tons The Ixtoc I oil well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in June 1979. The oil drilling platform then caught fire and collapsed, rupturing valves and making it difficult for rescue personnel to control the damage. The spill continued until March 1980. 1. Gulf War oil spill: 1,360,000-1,500,000 tons The worst oil spill in history, the Gulf War oil spill spewed an estimated 8 mm barrels of oil into the Persian Gulf after Iraqi forces opened valves of oil wells and pipelines as they retreated from Kuwait in 1991.

The oil slick reached a maximum size of 101 miles by 42 miles and was five inches thick.

Question: What was the name of the VLCC tanker that split in two off the coast of Brittany in 1978?
Answer: Amoco Cadiz